The next day, in the afternoon, I returned to school after finishing my classes and group study. I had some important work to do, which involved putting into action the plan I had come up with for Sudou and how he could be part of our class's future plans.
Since it was the afternoon, most of the students had already gone home, leaving the school pretty empty. But not completely empty, because there were still some students around who were involved in school club activities. I think a few, like Hirata, might have already left by then.
As I made my way into the school, I unexpectedly bumped into a familiar face right in front of me.
"Hi, so we meet again..." Ichinose greeted me as she seemed to be leaving school just then. If I remember correctly, she's part of the student council, so she's probably coming from a meeting. I wonder how hard those student council members have to work in this school.
"Yeah, a pleasantly unexpected surprise," I said, stopping in front of her. She looked like her usual self, but her face had a certain charm at that moment. She stood straight, gently looking at me, tilting her head slightly upwards because of our height difference. She's around 5'2" or 5'3", while I'm 5'9", creating a 6-7 inch gap between us. Her smile is captivating, to be honest. She has a very charming and caring aura that makes you feel comfortable around her.
"So, what brings you to school so late? Have you joined any club activities? I haven't heard anything about it," she said.
"That's an interesting comment because it's not impossible that I might have joined a club, and you didn't find out. Can't that be a possibility?" I teased.
"Well, it would be a possibility if I wasn't a member of the student council," she replied with a knowing smile.
"I see, that makes sense!" I said, realizing it was obvious that the student council would have most of the information about the students.
"So, why are you here at this time?" she asked again, understanding that I got her point already.
"Just finishing up some things," I replied vaguely, not wanting to go into details.
Ichinose adjusted her bag strap, her student council pin catching the light from above.
"What about you? Heading out?" I asked, more out of politeness than curiosity.
"Yeah, finally done for the day," she said, smiling. "Council work always takes longer than I think it will."
"It seems student council work is more difficult than I thought at first," I said.
She nodded, not pressing further. "Well, if you're ever free, the student council could use some extra hands. We're a bit short-staffed right now, especially with midterms coming up."
"Short-staffed?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah," she laughed lightly. "Most first-years are still trying to figure everything out, so we're kind of scrambling."
"Sounds like a lot of work," I said, keeping my tone neutral.
"It can be," she admitted, "but it's worth it. Plus, it looks good on records if that's something you care about."
I shrugged. "I'll think about it."
Her smile stayed warm. "That's all I ask! No pressure, really. Just thought I'd mention it since you seem like the type who'd handle it well."
"What makes you say that?"
She tilted her head, thinking. "You're... calm. Like you don't get flustered easily. That's a good quality for council work."
"Calm, huh?" I said, half to myself.
"Yeah," she said, her tone lightening. "Anyway, I should get going. Let me know if you change your mind, okay?"
"Sure," I said.
She gave a small wave before turning to leave, her footsteps echoing down the empty hallway. I watched her go, the faint scent of her strawberry shampoo lingering in the air.
She's quite... captivating. Her presence is both calming and invigorating, an unexpected combination. There's a genuine warmth in her demeanor, a kindness that's rare.
Anyway, I think I was here for my own work. What was it again?
Oh, right...
After a while, I finally reached the club activity area, specifically the basketball section. Most people had left, and as I expected, only one person was left inside—the person I came to see today.
I walked in quietly, nodding to a few students leaving at the moment. Soon, the place was just me and Sudou. But it seemed even he was ready to leave, as he was packing up at a nearby bench.
"Hey, Sudou. Got a minute?" I asked, approaching him.
Sudou looked startled for a moment, as if he hadn't noticed me. "Tch, what do you want?" His tone was, as always, a bit rough and not too friendly.
I took a deep breath, trying to keep calm. "I wanted to talk about something important regarding..."
"... I don't want to join your study group… so, I'm out if you're here to talk about that..."
Sudou, as impatient as ever, jumped to conclusions before I could finish my sentence.
"No, I'm not going to talk about that. I have something else to ask you," I said, cutting him off before he could respond. "Let me ask you in simple words, what do you think about your basketball skills? Pretty confident, right?" I tried to ease into the conversation.
Sudou shot me a glance, a mix of pride and impatience. "Yeah, I'm good. What's your point?"
"Well," I continued, "let's say something unexpected happens. You know how luck can play a role in sports. What if, despite your skills, you don't get the chance to go pro? Have you thought about what you'd do then?"
He frowned, irritation creeping into his voice. "Why are you bringing this up? I'm not planning on failing. Basketball's my way out."
"I hear you," I said, keeping my tone calm. "But sometimes even the best players face setbacks. What if something comes up, and you're not lucky enough to make it pro? Have you considered such a situation?"
I could sense him getting impatient and angry at my comment. "I don't care, I'll make it for sure, and I'll leave. I don't want to hear your stupid talks," he said, picking up his bag from the bench.
"What if you get expelled this midterm for failing the test? What will happen to your basketball dreams?" I asked.
Sudou's eyes flared with anger, his frustration boiling over. "Expelled? You really think I can't handle a simple test? I don't need you worrying about me, Hayashi."
Saying those words, he picked up his backpack and started walking toward the exit. Sudou shoved past me, his shoulder colliding with mine as he stomped toward the gym doors. I didn't flinch. Instead, I pivoted sharply, my voice cutting through the hollow echo of his sneakers.
"You think walking away solves anything?"
He froze. His fingers tightened around the strap of his bag, knuckles whitening.
"What's it to you?" he growled, turning slowly.
I stepped closer, deliberate. "You left Horikita's study group, didn't you? Because she was too blunt? Too demanding?"
His jaw twitched. Pride and panic warred in his eyes—the same look he had when Horikita dismantled his excuses during study sessions. Sudou wasn't stupid; he just hated feeling cornered.
"She's a pain in the ass," he muttered, but the defiance was thinner now.
"Yeah, she is," I agreed, catching him off guard. "But she's also the best shot you've got at passing. You think I'm gonna baby you like Hirata? Or waste time being nice like Kushida? If you want someone to sugarcoat things, you're in the wrong place."
His fists clenched. "I don't need your lectures."
"You do," I said flatly. "Because right now, you're failing. And if you keep this up, you'll get expelled. No basketball. No scouts. No future. Just a one-way ticket back to whatever hole you crawled out of."
He flinched. The words hung between us like a punch.
"Shut up," he snapped, but his voice lacked heat. "Like you care. You're just another vulture waiting to pick at Class D's carcass."
"True," I shrugged. "But if you wash out, your replacement will be someone who actually contributes to the class. Someone who helps us climb to Class A. You're a liability right now, Sudou. And if you keep this up, you'll drag the rest of us down with you."
Sudou's nostrils flared. For a heartbeat, I thought he might swing at me. But then his shoulders sagged—just a fraction.
"…What do you want from me?" he muttered, avoiding my gaze.
"Go back to Horikita's group," I said, my tone firm but not unkind. "Not because I'm telling you to. Not because she's nice or patient. But because she's the best chance you've got. If you're serious about basketball—about *anything*—you'll swallow your pride and do what it takes to pass. Otherwise, you're just wasting everyone's time—including your own."
He glared at me, but I could see the gears turning in his head. Sudou wasn't dumb; he just needed someone to lay it out plainly, without sugarcoating or pity.
"…She's still a pain," he grumbled, but there was less bite in his voice now.
"Yeah," I said, turning toward the door. "But so are you. Maybe you two deserve each other."
I didn't wait for a response. As I walked away, I knew that this was just the beginning of something bigger.
This is the very last and least I will do for the class, I though, I doubt it will be much help, Still , It doesn't matter to me.
As I walked out of the gym, my thoughts still lingering on the conversation with Sudou, I found myself staring at a blank wall in the hallway. "You can come out now!"
Just as I finished speaking, I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye. Turning slightly, I saw Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, his expression as calm and unreadable as ever. He didn't seem startled, but there was a faint flicker of curiosity in his eyes—something so subtle that most people would miss it. I didn't.
"Ah, Ayanokoji," I said, my tone casual but deliberate. "Didn't expect to see you here. Were you eavesdropping, or is this just a coincidence?"
He stopped a few steps away, his hands in his pockets, his posture relaxed. "Coincidence," he replied simply. His voice was flat, devoid of any emotion, but there was a quiet intensity to his presence that made it hard to look away. "I was just passing by."
"Passing by, huh?" I said, tilting my head slightly. "Funny how often you seem to be 'just passing by' when something interesting happens."
He didn't respond immediately, his gaze steady and unflinching. If he was bothered by my comment, he didn't show it. Instead, he glanced toward the gym doors, where Sudou had stormed out moments ago. "Did you manage to get through to him?" he asked, his tone neutral.
"Hard to say," I admitted, crossing my arms. "Sudou's stubborn, but he's not stupid. He knows what's at stake. Whether he'll act on it is another story."
Ayanokoji nodded faintly, as if he'd expected that answer. "You're putting a lot of effort into this," he observed. "Why?"
I smirked, though there was no humor in it. "Call it curiosity. Or maybe I just like seeing how far people can push themselves when they're backed into a corner. What about you, Ayanokoji? You've been lurking around Class D since the beginning, but I can't quite figure out what you're after."
He didn't react to the jab, his expression remaining as impassive as ever. "I'm just a bystander," he said. "I don't have any grand plans or ambitions."
"Bystander, huh?" I repeated, my tone skeptical. "You don't strike me as the type to just watch from the sidelines. There's something about you that doesn't add up."
For the first time, a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips—so subtle it was almost imperceptible. "Maybe you're overthinking it," he said. "Not everything has to be a puzzle."
"Maybe," I conceded, though I didn't believe it for a second. "But I'll tell you this much, Ayanokoji. I'm interested in seeing what you do. You're like a blank slate, but I get the feeling there's a lot more going on beneath the surface."
He didn't respond immediately, his gaze shifting slightly as if considering my words. Then, with the same calm demeanor, he said, "You might be disappointed. I'm not as interesting as you think."
"We'll see," I said, my tone light but with an undercurrent of challenge. "Either way, it'll be fun to watch."
Ayanokoji gave a small nod, his expression unreadable once more. "If you say so," he replied. Then, without another word, he turned and walked down the hallway, his footsteps echoing softly against the tiled floor.
I watched him go, a faint smile playing on my lips. Ayanokoji Kiyotaka was an enigma, and I couldn't shake the feeling that he was far more dangerous than he let on. But that was what made him interesting. In a school full of ambitious, calculating students, he was the one who stood out precisely because he didn't seem to stand out at all.
And that, I thought, was worth keeping an eye on.